A Case of Realization - A Three-Act Problem
by romybook
Summary: Season 3. Sherlock Holmes and John Watson had always had different expectations of life. And despite their forced separation and after their expected reunion, they both thought they could come back to their lives as if nothing had changed. Since they had tried to play so many times with their existences, it was now the Life's turn to teach them a lesson…


**Act 1: A Doctor's Consciousness**

John Watson had always thought he needed a wife in his life; he wanted to get married. After Sherlock's disappearance, he had given up his goal for a while for obvious reasons. He was too withdrawn, because of his pain, his grief, his sadness…

But, after some months, as the proverb says, he had finally begun to heal.

So when he had met Mary Morstan, and fallen in love with her – at first sight – it had been a logical choice to ask her to marry him.

Being reunited with Sherlock just in time for the wedding, in the meantime, had only been the icing on the cake. And God knew how much Watson loved cake.

After the wedding and the honeymoon, John had tried to go back to normal, splitting his time between his job as a doctor, his criminal cases and friendship with Sherlock and of course, last but not least, his new spouse.

In many ways, Mary was everything John wanted from a woman: beautiful, intelligent, very kind, lovable and even funny. She knew how to take care of a house, which was an important thing. The doctor couldn't lie! As a consequence, John believed his marriage was going to be a day in paradise.

And it was! Or more accurately, for most people, it would have been. But not in the way John had expected or imagined. The thing was, before he got married, John didn't know what he really wanted. But facing the reality of marriage showed him what he didn't want. And yet, Mary was perfect, and being with her was really nice. John had someone to rely on, what he thought he needed. But it was in fact a misconception about his own personality.

Everything he did with Mary was perfect and at the same time completely boring.

They talked and it was boring.

They watched telly and it was boring.

They took tea and it was boring.

They lay in bed and it was boring.

Even sex was boring. Could you believe it?

Never had John thought he could become like the great Sherlock Holmes. Speak of the devil… everything was actually his fault. If he had met Mary before Sherlock, or if he had never met Sherlock at all, Mary would have been perfect for him. But who was he fooling? Once you met Sherlock, everything in your life could only be savored with the genius detective. John couldn't feel sorry about that. The complete opposite, actually.

He was glad and he finally knew exactly what to do about it.

Packing and saying goodbye wasn't supposed to be easy. Yet he couldn't help but smile. And when he gave the cab driver the address of his destination, 221B Baker Street, he knew he was coming back home. This home he had never really left.

Yes, John had always thought he needed a wife… but now he understood that he just needed Sherlock.

…

**Act 2: A Detective's Cognizance**

Sherlock had always thought he needed to get busy to bear his life and his constant boredom.

One thing was certain: during the time he had been dead, he hadn't had the opportunity to get bored. Not one bit. Taking care of Moriarty's network all over the planet and watching John just to be sure he was okay had left him no time to do stupid things such as sleeping or eating.

Then, he had been finally reunited with John. He had been his best man at his wedding and soon enough he was back at 221B Baker Street and the "normality" of his life.

He couldn't complain. Since his return, the criminals had been particularly creative: he had gotten good cases. His brain was busy. John helped him the best he could. And yet, he missed something.

Being back wasn't as good as he had expected. However, he had many crime scenes with bodies bloodier than ever. Drowned corpses. Strangled ones. Everything he loved, in a nutshell. His frequent visits to the Morgue gave him even more cadavers.

But he was still bored. Even his little experiments in his lab couldn't take his mind away from the real problem…

It was because of John. Now that he knew what life with the doctor was, it was impossible to get over it. And even if he wasn't the sentimental type, he couldn't fool himself: the presence of his blogger (or more accurately, the lack of it) was difficult to handle. More difficult than he would have ever thought.

Because of this inexplicable feeling, unworthy of his brilliant mind, Sherlock began to fall back into his old habits. First, he restarted cigarettes. Just one to get the taste. Then a second because it was too good. And finally it turned into a whole packet. Patches were definitively over. But soon nicotine wasn't enough. So he added some recreational stuff, as John had called it. It had been good for a while until it wasn't…

Sherlock was in the living room of his flat, on the couch he liked so much, a needle in his hand. Something he had been sure he wouldn't use anymore. Something he had sworn he wouldn't use anymore.

But, here he was, the needle so close to his vein and the only want, the only need: to take it…

… Until a knock on his door took him out of his little reverie. Sherlock refrained himself from asking John to answer. Slowly, he stood up and walked to the door. When he finally opened it, he was welcomed by the smile on John's face.

And then, he knew for certain.

Sherlock had always thought he needed to get busy one way or another… But now he understood that he just needed John.

…

**Act 3: Understanding of Perception and Cognition**

John was facing Sherlock, smiling widely.

Sherlock was facing John, almost smirking.

One look and Sherlock knew exactly why John was there. He could have given all the evidence he got from John's appearance but it wasn't that. He just knew it. Because somehow, John and he had a mental bond (unscientific as it sounded).

Without saying anything, John came into the room, going almost immediately into the kitchen and preparing the tea. As usual…

Even if the usual was something they hadn't done in a few months.

When he came back into the living room, Sherlock was sitting in the grey armchair, his knees against his chest, his eyes closed. He was wearing his usual blue dressing gown. And this simple sight was in a way so reassuring that John smiled a little and frowned at the same time.

John could tell Sherlock was not in his mind palace because… well, he just could tell.

Sherlock was actually listening to John's noises and as soon as the doctor was settled in his red armchair, both men with their cups in front of them, he began to speak:

"I can't give you much John. Yet you are the most important person in my life, the only person whose opinion matters to me. You are the only one I have feelings for and yet, you know what I think about caring. I can't give you intimacy the conventional way and yet you are the only person with whom I want to share the excitation of a crime and the orgasm it brings into my mind. I'm not egotistical and childish enough to prevent you from having girlfriends, even if I don't see the point in it. Anyway, it appears that my heart needs to know that you will always be there for me. Even if my brain knows you will. After all, you've known me for a long time, you know what I'm capable of, and despite it all; you still want to live with me. But I need to hear it from you. So say it!"

John couldn't help but smile and even blushed a bit because it was so Sherlock and un-Sherlock at the same time.

"Sherlock!" he answered. "How could you be the most stubborn man when it comes to sentiment and yet, the one man who feels more than anyone? Anyway, remember what I told you the first time we ate at the restaurant: I'm not asking for anything. Because with you, everything is fine. We both need each other and that's fine by me, especially if it's alright for you."

Finally, Sherlock opened his eyes, staring at John for a long while. He must have found the thing he was looking for, because he offered John a true smile, which wasn't normal at all…

Life was never easy with Sherlock Holmes, but there was still hope. So much hope!

Life with Sherlock had never been perfect and never would be but that was still what John wanted.

Sure, Sherlock and John could live without each other. They had done it. They had survived. But life was so much better, happier and challenging when they were together.

It had been like that from the beginning. It was just a case of realization. No matter what they had to thank for it, their brains or their hearts, they were meant to be Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson…


End file.
